she makes my heart sing

Watching Isabelle play with others fills me with an unexplicable joy.  So many times I stand with her and watch concern and worry wash over her smile and melt her happiness...it is hard to watch and support.  But there are, and will be so many more, moments when I see these worries wash away.  These moments are filled with happiness...I can almost see a weight being lifted off her shoulders...smiles, giggles, silliness and play.  It happens...and when it does it makes my heart sing.  To see her let go and just have fun with her peers is beautiful and all I want for her.  And that is the honest truth...

9 months and then some

That toothy grin we all love

Owen helping dad with the butternut squash

refusing to sit...

• Crawling...faster
• Standing for moments
• A top tooth breaking through (and another coming shortly)
• Finally using a spoon (most of the time)
• Deciding he no longer sits in his high chair....feeding may never be easy with this kid
• Loving: yogurt, fruits, some chicken/turkey pureed, toast, settling at times for veggies...but still super picky and prone to break downs and refusing food if he doesn't like what he gets (per doctors order we need to encourage the consumption of calories...as much as possible)
• Using his thumb and index finger to pick up little veggie puffs
• Lots of babble... we are trying to not talk back in babble...even though it is so darn cute...i suppose we are suppose to encourage him to talk like the rest of us
• Clicking noises are a new favorite thing
• Shaking his head no, even though not yet associated with "no"
• Following sister as much as she lets possible
• Throwing toys...and miraculously hitting mama with them...
• Mimicing a goofy laugh that sister does....I will try to get a video...when Isabelle laughs she tosses her head back and Owen follows suit....tossing his head back with the biggest grin possible and doing a silent weird nose laugh (quick breaths in and out of his nose)
• Loves peek-a-boo with play silks
• Starting to open and close his hands (working on this to sign for milk and a moc wave)
• Sleeping well at night for the most part...still waking up once in a while but is able to get himself back to sleep within 15-20 minutes
• Napping 2 times a day
• Still melting our hearts with that huge, now toothy, grin

chicken happenings

True to their breed...these chickens (the meat birds) are growing fast.  Faster than we were possibly ready for...but with some cheap lumbar, scrap fencing, and a little handiwork they are enjoying their new home.  The thought is that next year this box will be a acquire some wheels and be portable....but for now it is a permanant fixture in what hopefully will be our pig pen next year.  They seem to be enjoying the space and for now staying away from the pumpkins that spilled over from the garden. 

The chickens are only with us a mere two more months before they will be making their way, one by one, into our freezer where they will patiently wait to nourish our bodies all winter.  And with what looks to be a good turn out for our first annual chicken harvest it should be done in no time.  Thanks in advance to all those who have offered their help...rewards will be in the form of fried chicken livers and a rye IPA that is bubbling away in the bedroom as we speak.  

hello autumn

So here we are...puddle jumping from summer to fall seamlessly.  I love how you don't need a calendar, the news, or the internet to know that the seasons have changed...on cue the morning air is just a bit more crisp, leaves change, you drink cider, eat cider donuts, break out your sweaters and your kids are in hand knit hats and mittens...  Fall is, by far, my most favorite season. There is just something about the smell of fall that I love.  And what other way to welcome fall...well a trip to a local orchard for some apple picking with my three favorite people...

yes...this is my most favorite season

goodness...it has been a while

I have been on a self imposed blog hiatus trying to figure out what to do with this space.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy this space, but it is also hard sometimes to maintain.  I honestly don't know how people who farm, work, parent also blog regularly....it blows my mind.  They likely don't have a computer that is 6 going on 7 years old and can upload pictures much more efficiently...but still blogging takes time (and possibly longer for my child fried brain and slow as heck computer).  So anyways, not much will change...I was just doubting my ability to keep up with this space the way I have in the past...now I am just accepting that some weeks there may be no blog entries and another might be chock full....and I think I (and you) might be alright with that (and anyone who is not can chip into the "buy caitlyn a new computer fund").

Anyways...the past few weeks haven't been necessarily busy (trying to avoid being that word), instead we have been trying to slowly ease into this September groove.  Find some peace in our days, a new-ish rhythm (including some home-preschool), and enjoying the last few weeks of summer (because it isn't over yet!!).  So here are a few moments captured over the last two weeks.... 

pickled beans and jalapenos...

slurping up the last bit of rocky road....

bag baby

chicks getting big and curious

all extreme crawlers must have a head lamp....yes?

Passata

What to do with all the cherry tomatoes... Well I'll let you in on our new favorite way to use them up... Roasted cherry tomato passata! It is just about the best thing... Ever. We are make oodles of it and trying to save some for the freezer to enjoy this winter (not sure if it will make it though).

So... This recipe is modified from the river cottage canning & preserving book:
3 lbs tomatoes (in our case cherry)
Fresh herbs (we use rosemary and thyme)
2 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper
Teaspoon of salt
Olive oil

Combine all ingredients on baking pan and make sure evenly distributed. Roast at 350 for an hour. Blend or process in your food processor and pass through sieve (or use your food mill!). You can use this puréed tomato delight just about any way you would use a can of tomatoes for...a sauce or soup base (I added just whole milk to it for my new favorite tomato soup) or maybe a bloody mary???!

for just a few more moments

Big deep breath....and exhale!  We had a beautiful weekend with friends and family and as I sit here mulling through the few photos I managed to take I wish we could all be back in the moment.  So for the few quiet moments I have this morning I am closing my eyes and imagining the sun on my back, salty lips, bellies full of home cookin' and a crackling fire - I can almost smell that fire...it was a good one.